Brankin, James

Rifleman

Royal Irish Rifles

Commemorated:

Newtownards and District War Memorial

BIOGRAPHY

The name James Brankin is listed on Newtownards and District War Memorial and in the booklet produced for the Unveiling and Dedication Ceremony held on Saturday 26 May 1934 he is described as a Rifleman in the Royal Irish Rifles.

The organising committee of the day decided to include the names of ex-servicemen who died up to that date from what they considered to be war related causes, whether as a result of wounds or disease.

Newtownards Parish Church of Ireland Church records show that James Brankin who was born on 27 July 1893 was a son of William James and Eliza Jane Brankin who lived in John Street, Newtownards.

Civil records show that William Brankin who was born on 26 July 1893 was a son of James and Lizzie (Eliza) Brankin (nee Welsh) of Forde Street, Newtownards.

William James Brankin (aged 18) and Lizzie Welsh, sometimes Walsh, (aged 18) were married on 8 December 1892 in Newtownards Parish Church of Ireland Church (St Mark’s).  William James Brankin, a groom from South Street, Newtownards was a son of James Brankin, a dealer.  Lizzie Welsh from Corry’s Deed, Newtownards was a daughter of David Welsh, a labourer.

William James Brankin and Lizzie Brankin (nee Welsh) had at least three children:

William (civil records) James (church records) (born 26 July 1893 in Forde Street, Newtownards – father named as James)

David John (born prematurely 9 January 1895 in Forde Street, Newtownards – father named as William James; died 10 January 1895 aged 10½ hours)

Agnes Anna (born 3 May 1896 in Corry’s Deed, Newtownards – father named as James; died of pertussis in Newtownards Workhouse 18 December 1896 aged seven months)

Their mother Lizzie died of tuberculosis on 17 September 1896 (aged 21) in Forde Street, Newtownards.

Desk searches and public appeals to date have yielded no further information.